Help Dog Anxiety Peeing

    • Puppy

    Help Dog Anxiety Peeing

    I will call it what I believe it is, anxiety peeing. It is really easy to feel that my dog is being spiteful or malicious but as smart as dogs are we to quickly attach a conscious behavior to a not so conscious animal. With that being said here is my problem. We have border/caryn terrier mix. She is 2 1/2 years old and her name is Marilyn. She is a very smart dog and quite the bully and we have another dog who is 6 1/2 years old, a shar-pei/pitbull/chow, and very well trained. Marilyn absolutely cannot be trusted around carpet/rugs/dog beds. Initially when we first moved into our home (tile everywhere except in bedrooms) she was fine for a couple weeks then all of a sudden instead of going to the bathroom outside when she was let out she would hold it and sneak back in the house into our sons room and pee under his desk. Her privledges were revoked and she was immediately kenneled at night again since we couldn't trust her. After some time, we decided the tile was fine and she and the other dog would be allowed to sleep free through the tiled portion of the house. Whenever our son was gone for a day or two she would try to sneak in his room but she got caught everytime but she did somehow sneak into his bathroom and pee on his bath rug. Then she started peeing on their dog bed (I believe because it was the other dogs for years and she was trying to mark it). I bought a new one that could be shared. It was shared for several months not a problem. It seemed like we weren't having problems anymore. Then again suddenly, she began not going potty outside and going on the new bed. This has happened twice now. It seems the trigger is anxiety, generally it happens when someone whether myself, or my son go out of town for a day or two. In the next year we will be buying a house and I am terrified she will ruin the carpet. Note, she has never peed on the tile. I feel like I need to retrain her completely (since I was not a part of the initial process me, my fiance' and our son moved in together 7 months ago). I'm about to begin kenneling for bully behavior to establish boundaries. Buying a rug and putting her food bowl on it so she begins to associate carpet/rugs as not a place to go potty. Although, I would think her bed she shares with the other would been a place she wouldn't pee. But she also is about to be put on the 2 hour potty training schedule for complete potty retraining. I don't know what to do?!?!?! I don't know if this "retraining" will help with breaking her habits of anxiety. DOES ANYONE HAVE SOME TIPS ON HOW TO BREAK THIS ANXIETY PEEING?! Again, it's real easy to think this is malicious or spiteful but I honestly do not think she's capable of that type of consciousness.
    • Gold Top Dog

    I agree that it sounds likes she's anxious. Dogs are conscious,  as most animal behaviorists use the word, but you're right it's not spite or malicious. Your plan to re housetrain her sounds like a good one.  

    She might benefit from some confidence building activities. Teach her to target your hand. Teach her to settle on a mat. You might also get her some puzzle toys to help stimulate her mind. kikopup has some great videos on teaching a dog to target and settle.  

    Remember to use high value food rewards when she potties outside. Scolding or making a fuss when she has an "accident" will make her even more anxious so make every effort to insure no one is scolding her about the inappropriate peeing. Good luck.

    • Moderators
    • Gold Top Dog

    I agree with Jackie, start all over again, when she says high reward, should be something really good, small hot dogs cut up or cheese they don't have to be large as long as it's really good. Finding a good basic obedience class, agility is good too to help build confidence and lots of good exercise will help. Please keep us posted.